Don't let go
by Cengiz
Summary: When two of their members get infected by a strange parasite will the others save them in time?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey everybody, this is my first fanfiction ever and English is not my mother tongue so please feel free to tell me mistakes I've made.

**Edit: Thanks to** lovingthis for correcting my mistakes. ^^ And thanks for the first paragraph, it makes so much more sense now. Thank you.

I hope you like it. ^^

Have fun!

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><p>The black SUV stopped at the edge of a nearby forest. Matt, Becker, Connor and Abby got out of the car, the view towards the trees. The sun was shining at their backs and was reflected by the roof of the car. A cool breeze blew over their heads and vanished rustling in the treetops. Connor combed back his rumpled hair with his fingers as he stepped to the boot to get the locking device.<p>

Becker pressed his right forefinger against his earpiece, saying: "OK, Jess. We're here, where is the anomaly?"

"760 yards north, then 200 yards north-west." She answered, focused as always.

In the meantime the second vehicle arrived and stopped next to their car. Four soldiers stepped out and headed for their Captain. Connor started his hand-held anomaly tracker, the locking station suitcase in his left hand. Abby on his right covered him, her EMD ready to fire. Matt and Becker went ahead, followed by the soldiers.

The group set off.

As the palm-held detector started to beeb, they knew the anomaly was only 100 yards away. Connor led the way, being protected by the others. Shortly after, the golden time portal was shining brightly in front of them.

"Spread out and secure the area." Becker ordered his men.

Connor set the locking device on the ground and locked the anomaly, while Matt, Becker and Abby searched the woods near him.

Half an hour later LCpl Donalds reported his commander: "No creatures detected."

"It seems that nothing has come through," declared Matt as all came together again.

Becker ordered Donalds and Pvt Jenkins to guard the anomaly until it closes. The rest made their way back to the cars.

They didn't walked long as suddenly Connor fell over a loose branch, which was lying on the ground, and landed with his face right into a puddle of mud.

„Ouch!" It sounded muffled from the ground.

Abby laughed gleefully at her boyfriend's clumsiness. Becker suppressed his laughter under a smirk and shook his head. Matt managed a slight smile as he helped the scientist back to his feet.

„Typical for you, Connor. Falling into the only puddle of the whole forest." Abby teased him.

„Hey, that wasn't my fault. The branch rolled away, when I stepped on it." Connor fought back. „Besides there shouldn't be such a puddle on such a sunny day." He appended while he cleaned his face with the handkerchief Becker handed him.

„Lets go, before Connor finds another one." Matt said, directing them out of the woods.

The got into the car and drove back to the ARC. Passing half the way, Connor turned his gaze from out of the window to the ground of the vehicle, grasping his forehead with both his hands.

„What's wrong?" Abby asked concerned, sitting next to him.

„My head is throbbing. I definitely have a concussion." He replied and rubbed his fingers across his temples.

Abby rolled her eyes, knowing that falling from this height into soft grass and a puddle would never cause a brain concussion. But she also knew that Connor was, regarding injuries, a typical moan-bag.

„It's your own fault. Why did you fall on your nose?" She answered, gently stroking his head.

Connor closed the barely distance between them and laid his head on her shoulder. He snuggled into her neck but abruptly sat back up again, as if something wasn't right.

With a baffled look on her face the blonde questioned him: „ What is going on now?"

„Nothing." He answered dismissive and looked out of the window.

Before Abby could asked any further, they reached the ARC and got off the car.

„What's wrong with him?" Matt whispered to Abby. He nodded his head towards Connor, who was making a bee-line to the lift. Abby just shrugged her shoulders, having not the slightest clue.

„Are you two coming?" Becker asked, already standing with Connor in the lift and preventing the doors to shut. The others joined and the elevator went down.

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><p><strong>AN:** Intro is over. The action follows in the next chapters.

Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Now it's going to be interesting.

**Edit:** Thanks for the lovely reviews. And **thanks to lovingthis** for telling me my mistakes. ^^

Enjoy!

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><p>While Matt went directly to Lester to make a report, the other three headed to Jess, handing over their black boxes and earpieces.<p>

„How was it going?" The young woman asked curious.

„Easy. We made it in time, so no creature went through before we locked it." Becker answered with his typical smile.

„Only Connor fell over a branch, right into a mud puddle." Abby added, rolling her eyes.

As Connor approached to Jess and started to sniff at her, she added confused: "And now he is acting strange."

Becker watched him as well, startled at his doing.

With a mixture of bewilderment and horror Jess questioned: „Hey, why are you sniffing at me?"

Without warning the scientist grasped her, one arm around her waist, the other one behind her head. He firmly pulled her close and gave her a deep kiss.

Abby stood there in a state of shock, unable to react or say anything.

Becker, by contrast, jumped forward like a bull who's seeing a red rag and pulled him away from the FCO. The left arm around her for protection, he grasped Connor's collar with his right hand, lifting him up a little bit. He looked right into the other man's eyes, shouting full of rage: „What the hell are you doing?"

„I don't know." Temple replied bewildered. "Abby help me, he's gonna kill me." He cried full of fear.

„Not, if I kill you first!" The zoologist answered angrily and grasp his arm to drag him with her. „Off to the medical bay!" With him in tow, she stormed out of the Hub.

Becker turned his attention to the shocked Jess, his arm still resting around her shoulders.

„Are you alright?" He asked gently. Getting no answer, he questioned further. „Jess?" He lifted her chin with his free hand to look right into her eyes before he continued. „Is everything OK with you?"

„Think so." The young woman answered nonchalantly, turning around to the ADD. Without another word, she got into her chair and continued her work.

Becker lifted his eyebrow, irritated by her behaviour. '_Definitely must be the shock._' He thought. '_I hope she's not getting a trauma._'

Surprised at the noise outside, Matt and Lester went out of the office. As Becker saw their puzzled looks, he walked over to them.

„Connor just attacked Jess." He reported.

„What kind of attack was it?" Lester asked by surprise.

„He kissed her." Becker answered horrified.

Matt smirked. „So you call this an attack?"

„Yeah, of course!" He explained. „Jess did NOT wanted this, so this IS an attack."

„Where is Connor now?" Lester asked indifferent.

„Abby took him to the medical bay. I hope they make a proper check on his brain."

„Nah! Better check his libido, just to be sure." Lester replied dryly and went back in his office.

The other two men decided to check on the wrongdoer and walked off to the medical bay. Becker was still fuming and Lester's parting words didn't change it for the better in the slightest.

„Come on mate, it was just a kiss, why are you so furious?" Matt kept doing teasing.

„I'm not furious. He shouldn't have kissed my Jess, that's all." Becker replied, the anger still hearable in his voice.

„Your Jess?" Anderson asked with a chuckle.

„I said 'Jess' not 'my Jess'."

„Of course you did."

„No I didn't."

„Sure."

„Stop it, now." The soldier countered and stepped through the large door of the medical bay they had just arrived.

They entered the room in which Connor laid, his hands bounded to the sides of his bed. He furiously tried to get them free, while he shouted at Abby to let him go.

Becker was smiling at the picture Connor was given. '_Serves him right!_' He thought.

Abby stood at the side of the room near to the door, leaning on the wall behind her. Her eyes fixed on Temple.

„Hey," said Matt looking at her. „Is this really necessary? Bounding Connor because he kissed Jess." He pointed to the outraged man on the bed.

„Yeah. There is something wrong with him." She answered worried. „ He tried to kiss Jones, the medical orderly, as well while they took an X-Ray of his head.

Matt and Becker looked both flabbergasted. Before they could ask any more questions, Dr. Francks entered the room.

„There is something inside his head. And I don't know what it is up to now, but it's spreading and I guess it's the cause of his change in behaviour." He explained, holding the radio-graph into the light so the others could take a look at it. „Is there something happened during the mission?"

„No. Nothing." Matt answered.

„He fell into a puddle." Abby contradicted.

„A puddle? Even though the sun was shining during the past few days? Even in the deepest forest no puddle stays longer than a day at such temperatures." The doc replied.

„I consider there must have been something coming through after all." Becker said. „I'll go and inform my men." He went out of the room, his mobile already in his hand.

„What are we doing now with him?" Matt asked, pointing at the still raging and swearing Connor behind his back. „Besides, how long do the manacles going to hold?" He added with a concern look on his face.

Dr. Francks answered: „Well, as long as I don't know what it is in his brain, I don't want to take a risk. We will move him soon to a quarantine-room which is escape proof."

„Quarantine? You think it's epidemic?" Asked Abby, her worry for her boyfriend increased.

„Well, apparently there is no one else infected, but just to make sure. Is there somebody who had a closer contact to Connor?"

„Me." Abby answered.

„OK. Then you better get quarantine and a check, too."

„Err. There is somebody else who had a really close contact to Connor." The Irishman quoted.

„JESS!" Becker shouted and stormed away, letting the others startled behind. They didn't recognize, he had already joined them again.

„Is he always like that?" Dr. Francks asked surprised.

„No. Only if it's about Jess." Matt answered with a big grin.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Will he reach her in time? - Let's find out

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><p>Becker ran as fast as he could to the ADD. But he only saw Don, sitting in her chair, as he arrived.<p>

„Where is she?" He shouted at the man.

„Who?" Don replied enervated.

„Jess. Who else should I mean?"

„Went home, 5 minutes ago. Lester set her free, because she had a headache." He could hardly end his sentence as Becker ran away again.

"Thank you for your Information and sorry for shouting at you." Don acted Becker's part. "No big deal, it's normal that everybody is getting crazy about Jess." He answered his monologue. With a shake of his head he continued his work.

Becker ran directly to Jess' parking, seeing that she just backed out of her parking place. He bolted behind her car and blocked it. In disbelief she stopped abruptly, got out of the car and went over to him.

„Becker, what possessed you to do that? I nearly run you over."

A little out of breath, he answered: „ Jess, there is something with Connor."

„And that's why you stop me?" She replied disinterested.

„Yeah. He is infected by something. A thing in his brain. And now we need to check on you because he attacked you. Just to make sure that you'll be fine."

„Becker. I understand your worry, but I'm fine. I'm feeling perfect."

„Don said you have a headache."

„No. I just said this to get free. Believe me, Becker, I'm fine. I just wanted to go home after Connor," she paused searching for the right word, "jumped at me."

Becker raised an eyebrow due to her last word choice. Inevitably, a little dachshund popped up in his mind trying to jump at Jess, making him smirk. Slowly he came closer to her, leaving a short gap.

„Jessica, please. Go to the medical check-up and then I, personally, drive you home." He tried to talk her into with his calm voice and his puppy-eyed look.

Jess stepped towards him, erasing the little leftover space. With her right hand she started to stroke gently over his chest. As her fingers reached his shirt hem he swallowed. It required his whole concentration not to melt under her touch. As her fingertips went higher and glided softly back and forth over his collarbone, barely noticeable, his wall started to break.

„Becker." She whispered softly. „Believe me, I'm fine. At least, today you saved me from the evil, evil Connor. You're my hero. I don't want to go to the medical bay right now."

Becker tried to focus on her voice, ignoring the fact that he could feel her body through the clothes. His defence was completely on the ground as she stretched up and her lips came closer and closer. Or does he bent down to her?

„I wouldn't feel comfortable with knowing Connor is near me. Not today." She explained further. „And you don't want me to feel uncomfortable, do you?"

Becker merely managed a shallow head-shaking. His hands searched for her hip, 'just for support'. He leaned over to simply press his lips against hers as she suddenly stepped back and replied with a dead voice:

„Then make away!" Saying this, she turned around and left.

Letting a confused looking, still in his position persisting, Becker behind. As he finally recovered his senses he ran after her. He gripped her arm, preventing her to get back in the car, and gently pulled her back.

„Nice try, Jess. Come along now with me, now." He ordered, still torn between performance of his duty and pleasure.

„I don't think so." Jess replied in a furious voice, turned around and threw her fist right into his face.

Becker fell back and crashed against the car behind him. The shock was visible all over his face, not only because of the abruptly aggressive reaction coming from the gentle Jess she used to be, more because of the power she had, knocking him to the ground so easily.

„Leave me alone!" she shouted, slightly hunching over him.

He saw directly into her eyes, which suddenly turned black. „Jess?" He spoke with shock.

He couldn't believe his eyes. Her beautiful blue pupils turned black, her whole eyes were filled with a black whatever-it-was. Jess fisted right into his chest once again, making him convulse in pain.

She turned around and was about to get into her car as Matt suddenly appeared and blocked her way.

„Come on, Jess. Calm down." The Irishman said. He and some soldiers came to help Becker.

Jess tried to flee out of the underground car-park, but was hold back by the soldiers. This threw her into a rage and she started to attack the soldiers, who had no other choice than to shot her with their EMDs.

„Don't!" Becker shouted as Jess fell unconscious to the ground. Matt hold him back, keeping him from charging at the soldiers.

„Calm down, mate. It was the lowest level, she'll be fine."

Becker stopped in his movements, pushed Matt's arms away and shouted at him. „What's this crap? This absolutely wasn't necessary! I was completely in control of the situation."

„Yeah. We all saw how you were. You let her knock you out. What if, if she had escaped?"

„This is no run away animal, it's Jess we're talking about." He shouted and went to lift her up.

Regardless of the two medics, who came on with a litter, Becker went to the elevator.

„Becker, lay her down on the litter." Matt tried to convince the Captain.

„No. I, myself, bring her to the medical bay."

„Becker, please. This is not Jess. There is something in her, we need to strap her. It's for our own safety."

„This IS Jess!"

„Are you sure? There was no changing in her behaviour? No changing in her eyes? After you ran out of Connor's room his eyes turned black. Something took over control of him. And you didn't see this on Jess?"

Becker had to admit defeat. Matt was right. The change of behaviour, the black eyes he saw, her huge strength all of a sudden, this wasn't his Jess anymore. There was something in her. He gently laid her down on the litter and watched the two medics bounding her hands and feet.

Then they went to the medical bay.


	4. Chapter 4

Jess slowly revived. She laid on a bed. No window, just four concrete walls around her. On one side a door, above a camera in the corner. Too high for her to reach it.

She looked around and shouted his name: „Becker?" Getting no answer, she shouted louder: „Becker?"

„Jess, everything is OK, I'm here." It sounded through the door.

„Where am I? What happened?"

„You're in a quarantine room. Something went through the anomaly and you were infected by Connor. But don't worry, we can handle this."

„Let me out." She said whiningly.

„I'm sorry, Jess. That's not possible, not yet. But I'm right here, I'm not leaving you." He tried to calm her down.

Leaning his head against the door, Becker looked as if just somebody had died. He felt so guilty. He should have reacted faster. He should have kept Connor from infecting her. '_Why her? Why was she infected?_' He thought.

„Where is Connor?" He heard her voice coming from the other side.

„Right in the room next to you." The Captain answered, irritated at her now clear and emotionless voice.

„Don't forget, this is not Jess speaking to you." Matt warned him, stepping to his side.

„I know that." Becker replied.

His mind knew that this was the thing in Jess' head, which had the control over her body. But his heart told him to go into her room and stay with her, letting her know that she was not alone.

„Come on, mate, the doc wants us to see."

Both went to the interstitial space. The two monitors in the middle of the room showed Jess and Connor, separately. Jess was sitting on her bed. Whereas, Connor ran to and fro, punching and shouting against the door all the time.

Looking at the radio-graph, Dr. Francks and Abby debated about removing the foreign substance. Francks wanted a surgical operation. Abby tried to discourage him from doing so. She didn't want Connor or Jess having removed their skull just for taking the thing out.

„Why did he infect Jess?" Becker asked all of a sudden.

Their conversation stopped abruptly and they looked at the Captain.

„What do you mean?" Abby questioned baffled.

„I mean, Connor sat next to you in the car, the whole time. Why didn't he infect you? Why Jess?" He asked but immediately regretted his words, feeling guilty for saying this out loud.

„How am I supposed to know." She answered disappointed, thinking that Becker rather would watch her sitting in the room than Jess. Even though she could understand his reaction.

„I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I meant, he didn't tried it on you, did he?"

Matt interrupted: „He tried it on Jones."

Abby suggested: „Maybe the things are like parasites. They need special hosts to survive or go into a next state of living."

„So, what have Connor, Jess and Jones in common, what we don't have?" Becker asked.

„Clever question for a soldier." Matt knew what Becker was trying to say. If they knew what these parasites need, they could find a way to get them out of their hosts without surgery.

Dr. Francks replied: „It has to be something which make their survival in our bodies impossible. Either something we have not that they need to survive or something we have that would kill them."

„Great! We're looking for a needle in a haystack." Abby answered frustrated.

„Not quite." Matt replied. „There is something we already know. They were in the puddle in the woods or they were the puddle, whatever. Anyway, it seems to be able to live outside the body. And before Connor kissed Jess ..."

- '_It was more like poking his tongue into her throat._' Becker thought. -

„...he smelled at her. So it has to be something you can smell on a body, that made him know that Jess was a perfect host."

„Indeed. He smelled at me, too. I didn't realize in the first place, because he laid his head on my shoulder. But then he suddenly turned away like I was stinking." Abby replied.

„Seems like it has to be something with the immune system." The doc concluded, making the others turning their faces to look at him baffled.

„Look. When two humans copulate, their immune systems have to be as different as possible so their offspring is forearmed perfectly for the living. And this you can smell in the sweat every person emits."

Matt suggested: „So there must be something we have a lack of and the three of them don't."

„I'll go and get their health record." Francks said and went out of the room.

Abby looked critical at Matt.

„What?" He asked.

„My immune system is just perfect! There is nothing missing. I don't even have an allergy. Whereas Connor has pollenosis. So what makes him a better host than me?" She spat.

They now saw it in a clearer light.

„Jess is allergic to insect biting." Becker replied.

„So they are better hosts because they have a lack." Matt said and went out on the corridor. He saw Dr. Francks coming nearer. „Hey, does Jones have any allergies?" He asked.

„Yep. He has a penicillin allergy." Dr. Francks said and entered the room.

„YES. We have the connection." Abby said confident. „They only infect people with allergies!"

„Great!" Becker said sarcastically. „ And how are we going to heal pollenosis or allergy to insect biting? 'Cause we sure have to, to get these things out of their bodies."

„Step by step." Matt said calmly. „First we're going to evacuate every person with allergies, so there will be no one else infected. Two of them are enough."

He went out to order the semi-evacuation of the ARC. Dr. Francks and Abby left to get more informations about vitalizing the immune system so it can attack the parasites by itself. Becker decided to look after the two patients.

Actually to only one of them, he had to admit as he stopped in front of the door to Jess' room.

„Jess, are you listening?"

„Yes. Are you letting me out?"

„Not yet. But we made a lot of progress. The things in your head are parasites. They only attack people with allergies. Matt is evacuating those people from the ARC so no one will be infected anymore. And Dr. Francks considers about possibilities to get them out of your head as soon as possible." He informed her.

There was a long silence before she answered: „Let me out!"

„I'm sorry Jess, this isn't possible yet. But I promise, it won't be long."

There was long silence again.

„Jess, is everything OK?" He asked but got no answer. „Jess?"

„Becker, it hurts. Oh my god, it hurts so much, please help me." She suddenly screamed.

Becker panicked. He unlocked the door and went into the room. Jess was lying crouched on the ground, holding her stomach with both hands.

„It hurts, it hurts so much." She whined with tears in her eyes.

Becker bent forward to her. „Where does it hurt?" He asked and frisked her belly.

„Right here." She said with an evil grin before she threw her fist in his face, knocking him out.

Jess dragged the passed out Becker with her, using his arm-ID to unlock Connor's door. Finally, he was free and both ran through the ARC to the exit.


	5. Chapter 5

„Becker! … Becker!" Matt called his name as he shook him awake. „What of '_That's not Jess so don't let her trick you_' didn't you understand?"

„She was in pain." The soldier tried to defend himself.

„Obviously not. She and Connor escaped. Get up, we need to catch them."

Matt helped him to get back on his feet and they ran off to the exit, meeting there with Abby.

„They have stolen a SUV. Don is giving us the gps-coordinates in a second. Well done, Becker!" She replied angrily. „Why did you open the door?"

„She was in pain. I thought so. I told her, it wouldn't be long till we find a way to get the parasites out, and then she cried in pain." He explained.

Matt handed him over an earpiece so he could hear Don's voice. „Looks to me like they're driving towards the woods where the anomaly is. Maybe they try to go through."

Matt, Becker and Abby bolted to another SUV and drove away at high speed. As they arrived they jumped out of the car and ran as fast as possible to the anomaly. Where the two soldiers were busied with getting beaten up by Jess, while Connor unlocked the anomaly. Becker ran faster as he saw Jess got rid of the soldiers and was ready to run through the anomaly.

'_This mustn't happen in no way. If she gets through the anomaly, she is lost forever. I would have lost her forever._' He thought and ran faster.

Abby and Matt headed for Connor, holding him back.

Just as Jess was about to jump through the anomaly two strong arms grabbed her from behind holding her tight.

Jess screamed. „Let me go!"

Becker ignored her. He was full of fear of loosing her, so he hold her tighter, pressing her against his body. Jess kicked and scratched his underarms raw, but he didn't care. It was alright as long as Jess was in his arms and was safe. The anomaly shined only five inches away from them. Suddenly she stopped fighting back and stretched her head. Black mucus streamed out of her eyes and her nose and disappeared in the anomaly. Jess collapsed in his arms, completely exhausted.

„Matt, Abby. Quickly, bring Connor over here. I know how to get these things out of him." Becker shouted into their direction. „But hold him tight, really tight."

They both tried to hold him, but Connor was thrashing around wildly. One of the soldiers came round, stood up and helped with taking the scientist to the anomaly.

„Right, get him down here and hold him really tight." Becker directed, still holding the unconscious Jess in his arms.

As Connor was standing in front of the anomaly, the black mucus streamed out of his eyes and his nose, too, and disappeared in the anomaly. Connor collapsed as well. Matt and the soldier prevented him from falling onto his face. Shortly after, the anomaly closed.

It took a few minutes until Jess and Connor regained consciousness.

The way back to the ARC was quite funny. Matt drove, Abby sat next to him. Connor sat on the back right, rubbing his eyes. Becker sat on the back left with Jess on his lap. He still refused to let loose of her.

„Really, Becker, I'm fine. You can let me go, now." She tried to convince him.

Becker shook his head. His face still full of pain and panic, believing that if he let loose of her she would disappear. It was by a hair's breadth. A few more inches and he hadn't caught her. A few seconds slower and she would have disappeared through the anomaly.

„Becker! Let Jess sit down." Abby ordered.

„I'll let her go after the doc has told me that the thing is really out of her head!" He answered.

Matt laughed: „It really is, otherwise she would have knocked you out again."

„Knocked out? I?" Jess asked horrified, not remembering anything of what had happened. How could Matt ever assume that she would be able to such a rude act.

„Indeed. Actually twice." Abby added and pointed to the bruises on Becker's face.

„Not to mention the punch into his chest." Matt teased.

Jess looked at Becker, who avoided her gaze while he tightened the grip around her. He held her with his right arm around her waist and his left arm around her legs, right under her bottom, and pressed her firmly to his chest.

„Wow. Looks like Jess really was a fury." Connor replied snippy.

„Keep your mouth shut. You flailed and screamed the whole time." Abby retorted. „And you kissed Jess."

„I did what?" He asked horrified. Jess flushed deep-red. She had completely forgotten this little fact.

„But I can't remember, so don't blame me. Let's forget about this, OK?" The scientist answered scared, peering at Becker. Who looked back like he wanted to say '_We're talking about this later. Just you, me and my EMD_.' Connor mentally was writing his last will.

Jess saw the look as well. Feeling sorry for Connor, she tried to distract Becker.

„Have I been really that badly to you?" She asked innocently.

„No, not at all." He replied smiling, thinking back at the starting situation in the car-park.

He realized that their faces were really close to each other. As he tightened his grip again to pull her towards him Jess removed her arms from his chest and put them around his neck for support. Their lips came closer and Becker stretched his neck to finally kiss her gently. This prompted Jess to move her head down, deepening the kiss more and more. Jolted by Connor's cheering Abby and Matt looked at the back.

Abby smirked widely by the look at the passionately kissing couple.

Matt rolled his eyes, saying: „Get a room!"

- The End -

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><p><strong>AN**: Hope you liked it and please review.


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